Originally Posted by
songwriter95
Hi There
A few years ago, I was having therapy for panic attacks, and my therapist was very good.
One thing he did teach me that has been very helpful, was how to breathe to STOP a panic attack. And it really works!
It can be very awkward at first to get into the swing of it, but once you master it, you end up doing it without even thinking about it.
Ok, maybe try it first as he made me:
Sit in a chair and just get yourself comfortable.
Rest one of your hands on the centre of your chest
so you can feel your chest going up and down when you breathe.
When you inhale, as you can feel, your chest comes up and out.
When you breathe out, your chest drops again.
Ok, here comes the hard bit:
Instead of breathing from your chest, you gotta breathe from your stomach!
Yes it sounds crazy, but it works!
Ok, keep your hand on your chest, so you can make sure it doesn't move up and down anymore.
So now when you breathe in, keep your chest still, and push your stomach OUT with the breath.
As you inhale, push the stomach right out.
Then as you breathe out, let your stomach relax and go down.
All the time, keeping one hand on your chest to make sure your chest isn't moving, and you are breathing properly from the stomach.
Now here's a thing: You CANNOT panic whilst breathing this way! It is truly impossible. And you cannot hyperventilate.
So as long as you keep practicing, before you know it, you will be breathing like this naturally, and it really does work.
The best time to practice, is just as you are totally relaxed and lying in bed about to sleep ... Get the breathng pattern going, keep your hand on your chest, and you will find you end up breathing this way whilst sleeping and wake up very refreshed and relaxed!
One other thing he told me to do which really freaked me out but proved a point.
As I sat there, he said Ok, sit there right now in front of me, and make yourself have a panic attack ....
I COULDN'T DO IT!!!!
That was strange to say the least, as anything, anywhere as you all know, a panic attack can hit. But, because he asked me to do it there and then, it just wouldn't happen!
So next time you feel like you are going to have a panic attack, tell yourself, Out loud if it helps, to have one ... You will find that your brain will not understand that command, and flunk ...
Hope this is of help to people. I have been a sufferer for many years, so I know how hard life can be.
God Bless ... Mandy